


Does fighting count as flirting?

by Saturning



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bisexual Peter Parker, Coming Out, Enemies to Lovers, Gay Harley Keener, Getting Together, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Hurt Harley Keener, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Kinda, M/M, Tony is Harley’s legal guardian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:27:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saturning/pseuds/Saturning
Summary: Harley Keener hates Peter Parker. How could he not. Their daily fights are evidence.Or does his past just convince him that he has to?Does he really hate Peter Parker?
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 212





	Does fighting count as flirting?

**Author's Note:**

> Warning! There are some homophobic slurs used in here, so please don’t read if that makes you uncomfortable! Also mentions of homophobia and bullying!
> 
> Also, like half of the fic is dedicated to Harley‘s past and him coming out to Tony more than to Harley and Peter.  
> But I just really love Harley and wanted to write this so yeah  
> This isn’t the best thing I’ve ever written but i enjoyed it and I hope you will, too
> 
> Have fun reading!

Peter was... irritating. It’s only been a week and a half since he met him, only two weeks since Harley came to New York, but already he hated Peter Parker.

Well, at least he thought he did. It was kind of hard to decide what he thought about the boy, when all they ever seemed to do was argue and fight over anything. Usually just mundane things, so uninteresting that even Harley wondered why he got all riled up about them. He just couldn’t help it. Peter was such a fucking smartass, that Harley felt the need to argue about things he actually agreed with, just because the guy had been too arrogant about it. Peter probably felt the same.

Though to be fair, maybe that all wasn’t entirely Peter’s fault. Harley had already decided to hate him, before he even arrived in New York, having heard enough about him by his mentor. It sounded stupid even to himself, but Harley was deeply scared that Peter had taken his role in Tony’s life. The mechanic was a busy man and even though he immediately agreed to becoming Harley’s legal guardian and have him live in the tower, the boy thought that two teenagers might be too much. And if someone ever was too much, it had always been Harley. But this time he just couldn’t be. This time he had no choice but to be number _one and only_ , because if he couldn’t stay, there was nowhere to go for him. After having been kicked out by his mother a month ago, he had no place to stay. Just his car. And that surely did not count.

He still didn’t even tell Tony why he was his legal guardian now and what happened at home. He just knew that shit went south and Harley needed somewhere else to stay, not that his mother felt so disgusted only thinking about having a gay son, that when he tried to come out, found himself kicked out of the house. So he gave him a place to stay, like the kind man he was. Gave him a home and food and... yea, kind of a family. Harley was still new here and not as integrated as everyone else, but he’d already die for most of them. Especially Pepper Potts. That woman was a gift sent from the gods, here to save Harley from whatever life kept throwing at him. The only one he couldn’t get used to was Peter.

The first time they met Peter had appeared nice enough and Harley thought that maybe he was wrong in despising him before they even talked to each other. Honestly, he just thought Peter was hot. It was weird, Peter didn’t look like some who would dare crush anyone, but his muscles told Harley that he’d be the sore loser should they come in a fight. Not that he planned to. He could think of very different options his muscles could be put to use... but no, he was _not_ allowed to think these kind of thoughts. They were what got him into trouble in the first place, got him kicked out. Of course, Harley had always wanted to leave Rose Hill and live with Tony Stark, but not under these circumstances. As much as he hated Rose Hill, he loved his family. And now that he was in New York, he couldn’t even be properly happy about it.

But that wasn’t the point. Harley thought he hated Peter Parker, because he was arrogant and too smart and babied by everyone around him, while Harley was treated so much like an adult, it hurt. Of course he liked to be respected, but he was still just seventeen, not in his thirties. But Peter was, too, and he was treated like a fourteen years old, even though he was a sarcastic dick more often than not, at least to Harley. And he was still hot.

So yeah, Harley hated Peter Parker and he was pretty sure that Peter Parker hated him too.

How should he have realised that what he was experiencing was an entirely different emotion?

“I am trying to tell you, this is wrong!”, Harley shouted angrily, gesturing to the small electronic object sitting on Peter’s desk.

“It is not!”, the boy argued back, just as riled up. “How would you know anyways? Spider-Man’s tech isn’t your area.”

“But I am a mechanic and I can see when something’s wrong. Tony asked me to help you out, so that’s what I’m doing! Don’t fuck me over just because you didn’t get it right.” Harley puffed out his chest, glaring at the boy and trying not to look at how Peter’s hands were gripping the table and thus showing off the muscles in his arms.

“Then you are a shitty mechanic, because I know my calculations are right and there’s no way that that’s the reason it’s not working.”

“Well if you would just let me fix what I’m seeing is wrong, then they would!”

“No way in hell am I going to let you touch these, you’ll ruin them!”

“Okay _enough_!” A voice interrupted the fighting teenagers. Both immediately turned to look at their mentor, who returned the glare just as powerful.

“I can’t believe this”, Tony growled, but he sounded more disappointed and tired than angry. “Your fights are getting too much.”

Harley raised his eyebrows, as Tony did not choose to elaborate on that. Instead, the man turned on his heel and stalked out of the lab. Barely Harley managed to hear him say “Friday, put the lab into lockdown mode until they sort that shit out.”

There was no time to protest, before Friday did as she was asked, efficiently locking the doors and activating the privacy protocol.

“Great”, Harley groaned, looking back to where Peter was standing. “For the record: I think this is your fault.”

Peter didn’t answer, but held his gaze. It was intense and heated, but different, so much Harley could tell, though he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“I hope I’m not reading this wrong”, Peter eventually said.

Then he blanked.

Next thing he realised was his back pressed against the wall, Peter’s body flushed against his and their lips crashing together over and over again.

Oh. _Oh_. Harley did not hate Peter Parker. Not at all. How did he not realise before? Or maybe he did, but ignored it. Who could blame him with his history? Not that it mattered right now, because all of his thoughts were swept away by Peter’s tongue. Feeling his muscles pressed against his own body, used on him with weirdly careful roughness was an entirely different experience than glancing at them every five minutes or so. It was also much better.

“Definitely read this right”, Harley muttered in between kisses and Peter had the audacity to laugh, before kissing down his neck.

“Wait”, Harley instructed and immediately Peter stopped to look at him questioningly.

“Too much?”, he asked and if Harley could trust his ears, he sounded a little disappointed. God he looked like a puppy being denied a treat.

“What? No”, Harley said, smiling just a little terrified. “Just - no hickeys and no marks, yeah? At least not where others can see them.”

“Ah, right. I’d rather not let Tony know.”

Harley wholeheartedly agreed, even though his reason was probably an entirely different one than

Peter’s. Or maybe not, who knew if Peter was terrified of having another parental figure kick them out, too? Certainly not Harley.

“So are you going to kiss me again, or...?”, he then asked. For a second they held eye contact and something weird stirred in Harley’s stomach, which only grew worse when Peter smiled.

“Nothing I’d rather do”, came his reply and they were kissing again.

Peter’s hands were now exploring Harley’s waist, soon slipping under his shirt to feel the warm skin. Harley shivered at his touch, burying his hand just a little bit more in Peter’s hair and using his other, that got a hold of his neck, to drag him in further, no space left between them.

“If I knew telling your ass that you’re wrong would lead to this, I would’ve done it more often”, the older commented cheekily, when they paused to take a breath.

“If I knew that’s what would get Tony to leave us alone for once, I would’ve done more mistakes.”

“Oh, so you admit that you’re wrong?”

“ _Yes_ , asshole. I’m wrong.”

“Ah, that’s music to my ears, sweetheart.”

Of course the moment had to be ruined.

“Boss has deactivated the lockdown protocol. He is on his way”, Friday politely announced. Immediately the boys jumped apart, trying to look innocent and not as if they had been kissing each other senseless barely a minute ago. Harley never had been so mad to see Tony. At least the man seemed oblivious to their red faces and messed up hair and clothes.

“You done? All sorted out? Not at each other’s throat?”, he asked, eyeing them suspiciously. Now Harley began doubting that Tony didn’t know. Either he ignored it or they should rethink wether to call him a genius.

“Yep, we’re good... so far”, Peter said, when Harley forgot he had been addressed, shooting him a meaningful look. _So far?_

Tony looked pleased and went to resume his work, still oblivious to the heated glances the boys kept exchanging.

Harley came to realise what Peter had meant by saying _so far_. And he had not been prepared for that. But how exactly would you prepare for one Peter Parker knocking on your door in the middle of the night? He had been still half a asleep when he opened the door only in boxer shorts, after being woken up by excessive loud knocking.

“Fuck, you’re hot”, Peter might have commented, but Harley couldn’t quite remember, the sleep still trying to drag him back in.

“Huh?”, was all he answered - then he was suddenly wide awake.

“Tell me if I’m going too far”, Peter had said, this time Harley understood clearly, but had no desire to answer whatsoever, because the boy’s hands and lips on his exposed upper body were quite frankly too distracting.

“Fucking _hell_ , Parker”, he muttered, after the boy had successfully backed him up until he was lying on the bed under him. “I wouldn’t have taken you as the- the type to do _this_.”

“Why not?”, came the answer in between kisses.

“You’re all - well, _puppy_. Soft and mushy and cute and looking like you need to be protected at all costs. Not that I fell for that. But all the others do.”

Peter laughed and took off his shirt.

“Well, then they don’t look right through me like you do, baby”, he grinned. Harley felt lightheaded. Peter was so strong, yet careful. So rough, yet loving. What the fuck? He just called Harley baby and he might die because of it. Also? He should never again put a shirt on.

“I have no idea what I’ve done to earn this treatment, but I ain’t complainin’”, he muttered pleased, as he let his hands run over Peter’s back, feeling every muscle.

“Mh, remind me to tell you, uh, sometime that isn’t now.”

“Noted”, Harley replied at last, when Peter finally made him shut up by sliding one leg between his, earning himself a deep groan in response.

Yeah, Harley did not hate Peter Parker. He desired him and apparently, Peter felt the same.

Harley should maybe get used to being proven wrong in his feelings. They were quite confusing and seemed to change very quickly, or maybe he just finally allowed himself to process them properly.

Because right now, Harley lay in bed. With Peter. Peter stayed the night. In his room, cuddled up to his body, where he still was, one arm tightly secured around Harley’s waist. And Harley hadn’t woken up this content in years, probably ever.

As the day was just beginning and Peter was still in deep slumber, Harley allowed himself to think about the boy. It was quite obvious now that he never hated Peter Parker. The boy was way too endearing, but also sarcastic and much more of a genius than he was. Now that he was really thinking about it, he could remember all the times they had actually gotten along. They laughed together, made fun of Tony and even cared for each other with small but kind gestures. Of course nothing compared to the amount of time they had spent arguing and fighting about anything and everything. Looking back on it, Harley realised that it were never important things, and the reason he had been fighting immediately, probably was to bury these forsaken feelings he had since he first lay eyes on Peter fucking Parker. Harley had been so sure he would hate him. That this other kid was stealing all that he had left. Though in reality... he adored him. And nothing Peter did could even suggest him trying to push Harley away from his newfound family. Actually, the way that the boy hadn’t hesitated to point out his wrongs and fight with him, was the most family inclusive thing ever. It kind of reminded Harley of the fights he had with his sister, back at home.

Last night, Harley had been sure that he desired Peter. That all those fights were evidence for the sexual tension between them, but now? Watching Peter sleep at his side, the warmth of his body providing him comfort and the arm pulling him in even closer, suggesting the other didn’t want to let go, he felt no sexual desire. Just warmth and excitement and happiness.

Eventually Peter stirred and looked up at him with tired eyes and messed up hair, but also with a blinding smile that could outshine the sun.

“Good Morning”, he whispered, his voice still rough. Harley mentally took back the thought of feeling no sexual desire in this moment.

“Morning, sweetheart”, Harley replied and just then noticed that he already was smiling. When did that start?

For a second, Harley feared that Peter would get up and say that this was a mistake or that it was nothing more than a fling. But to his delight, the boy stretched just a little to give Harley a soft kiss.

“Shit, this _is_ real”, he said absentmindedly, surging forward to get another one of those sweet morning kisses, just to make sure it was still possible.

“What did you think, idiot? That I’d leave during the night and give up on this view?” Peter, still smiling but now slightly worried, pushed himself up enough to lean on his forearms, this way he could properly meet Harley’s eyes.

“I don’t know, maybe”, the older confessed. “I mean, I literally haven’t realised I like you until you kissed me. So everything sounds quite reasonable.”

“Wait”, the smile fell from Peter’s face and was replaced by shock. “You _didn’t_ fight with me on purpose?”

“You did?”

“Uh, _yeah_! To be honest, you were right most of the time, but, uh-“, suddenly Peter stopped talking, as his face was becoming redder by the second. “I mean, well - you’re kinda hot when you’re angry. Also it was the only way you’d talk to me for longer than two minutes. So I played the dick.”

That finally got a laugh out of Harley.

“Don’t laugh, asshole! Not my fault that you came here looking hot but refused to engage in any conversation. But you did seem to like fighting with me. So I did...that.” The pout on Peter looked way too cute and Harley suddenly felt really bad for his behaviour in the past. Peter had obviously tried to get closer to him and all Harley did was giving him the silent treatment.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been fair to you these past weeks. You know, I was kinda convinced I was going to hate you. So I did. And kinda ignored that I really actually didn’t at all. So I guess I subconsciously tried to get into fights with you, too. Maybe to engage in any kind of contact with you without revealing my feelings. Maybe so I could tell myself that I didn’t feel that way. I really am dumbass, right?”

“Agreed, but I suppose a dumbass with a good reason to try and hate me and ignore your feelings. Want to tell me about it?”

Honestly, Harley didn’t expect this amount of thoughtfulness. Peter had seen right through him immediately, catching the deeper reason behind it, while looking up to him through his lashes with those innocent doe eyes.

“It’s a little pathetic, though.”

“Couldn’t be.”

“Well, compared to your traumas, yes.” Peter froze.

“How... do you know about my traumas?”, the boy asked tentatively.

“Tony tends to talk too much sometimes. I’m sorry, I should have really stopped him from talking, when he first mentioned your parents. And then your uncle and... yeah you get the point.”

Peter made a silent noise of affirmation, eyes downcast and his body language suddenly so sad. Again Harley felt guilty for bringing it up.

“Mr Stark told you those things about me?”

“I think he forgot that I didn’t know. Just mentioned them absentmindedly. If it makes you feel better - he probably would have told you mine on day one - if he knew it, that is.”

Now that made Peter look up in surprise.

“Tony doesn’t know? But, you’re like - really close!”

Harley couldn’t prevent the sad smile forming on his face. That Peter even thought they were, warmed his heart a little, but also did nothing to soothe his fears. “I guess we are. That’s why he doesn’t know.”

Silence stretched between them for a few seconds.

“Well, you know about my tragic backstory - I think it’s only fair I unlock yours. I won’t push, but I also can’t have a boyfriend and know nothing about his past, can I?”

Harley choked on air at the same time his heart paused. Peter watched in confusion, but didn’t seem to notice what he had said.

“Boyfriend?”, Harley managed to ask hoarsely and the boy blushed.

“Oh”, he said sheepishly. “I kinda - I meant to _ask_.”

Harley thought about it for no more than a second, before he made up his mind. Waking up next to Peter had been the best thing happening to him since Tony agreed to let him live in the tower. Which, okay, wasn’t too long ago. But there was a drought of good things before that. And now that he had Peter right next to him, just for himself, he would never pass this up. Not for anything.

“The answer would’ve been yes anyways, darlin’”, he said with a smile.

“What?”, Peter questioned with big eyes.

“Don’t act so surprised, you knew I liked you before _I_ did”, Harley answered with an eyeroll and proceeded to pull Peter in for another soft kiss.

“Hm, guess I did”, Peter muttered against his lips before pulling away. “But as much as I’m happy about this, I know what you’re doing Harley. You’re not getting around talking about your tragic backstory.”

Harley groaned and let his head fall back into the pillow.

“We just woke up naked in one bed, established that we’re dating and now you want me to talk about emotional stuff? Pete, that’s too many emotions for a mechanic to handle.”

“Cry me a river, Harley. That’s not a good excuse”, Peter grumbled, trying and visibly failing to hide a smile. “Maybe I should just get Tony to talk to you then?”

“ _No_!”, Harley exclaimed even harsher than he intended to, but he really couldn’t control it, though he felt bad for scaring Peter for a second. “Sorry - Just, please no. Can we maybe - not tell Tony about any of this for now? Of us, I mean. I’m not prepared to tell him. Not that I’m ashamed of you! It’s just - he doesn’t even know I’m gay.”

His boyfriend looked as confused as he did shocked. “Oh, sometimes I forget that people still worry about coming out”, he confessed in a whisper. “Do you think Tony would react badly?”

Desperately Harley covered his face with his hands, trying to ban all terrible memories and ideas out of his mind, but it was already too late. They were having the talk about his past and there’s nothing Harley could do to stop it.

“Not really”, he mumbled. “I’m pretty sure the old man had a thing for Captain America at some point, but it’s not quite that. It’s kind of irrational, really.”

Harley wasn’t prepared for Peter’s hand softly taking his own, rubbing soothing circles on the back of it. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me the reason to why you’re so afraid”, he said and god, Harley knew that. Knew that it would help him, but it hadn’t been a lie when he said he couldn’t handle many feelings in a single day. Even just a single morning. But he still did. Someone had to know eventually.

“I don’t know how much Tony told you about the reason I came here. My mother... well one and a half months ago Abbie, my little sister, overheard some of the bullies call stuff after me, when I picked her up from school. They were guys from my school, who had come to know that I was gay, because of some guy I had a thing with once, and you can expect the kind of comments one gets when living in bumfuck Tennessee in a village with a population of like 600. Then she mentioned it when we had dinner”, he explained, while Peter listened carefully.

_“Ma, there were boys bullying Harley today on our way home”, Abbie said between two mouthfuls._

_His mother had raised her eyebrows and looked at her son, who was trying his best to look relaxed and unbothered._

_“You’re being bullied? Why didn’t you tell me?”_

_“I’m not, Mama. We just don’t like each other and they’re a little rough, but it ain’t botherin’ me.”_

_“Bullshit, Harles. You flinched when they shouted and drove by!”_

_“Shut up, Abbie. It just caught me by surprise, that’s all.”_

_“What were they shouting then?” Harley should have known his mother wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily. Before he could say ‘just some curse words’ Abbie already answered, the noisy brat she was._

_“I think it was faggot.”_

_Harley and his mother both froze._

_“Abbie, go to your room”, she instructed and his sister, though first protesting, complied sheepishly, scurrying out of the room under her mother’s watchful eye, which she turned back to her son, as Abbie was gone._

_“Why would they call you that, Harley James Keener?”, his mother grit out through her teeth._

_“No idea, Mama. Honestly”, he countered immediately, but he didn’t sound nearly as confident as he hoped._

_“If I find out later that you lied, you are in big trouble young man.”_

_Everyone knew that Joanne Keener did not mess around when it came to his. And Harley was sick of lying._

_“Okay Ma, I swear I was going to tell you soon, just waited for the right moment! I - yeah I like boys. I’m ga-“_

_“Don’t you dare finish that sentence”, his mother interrupted, pushing her chair back as she stood up immediately. “I will not allow it.”_

_“This isn’t about allowing! It’s just who I am, I can’t change that!”_

_“Then leave.” It came out so cold, without any emotion, it made Harley shiver._

_“What?”, Harley questioned in disbelief. “You’re kicking me out?”_

_“Fucking right, I am. You are a disgrace to this family, a menace, a troublemaker and a faggot now on top! How could I ever have a son that embraces the sin of loving another man so proudly?”_

_He didn’t dare interrupt her as she full on screamed at him. Harley James Keener, who was just seventeen years old was being kicked out by his own mother._

_“Ma, please. You can’t be serious. Where am I supposed to go?”, he pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes._

_“Hell if I care! Just leave and take the devil with you!”, she screamed right back, no signs of mercy._

_“Do you not love me at all? I’m still your son!”_

_“No son of mine could ever be like you. I get why your father went and abandoned you. He never wanted a boy in the first place and now you’re this- this abomination! If you’re not out by morning, I will get you out by force. Marcus surely would love to kick your ass to the curve.”_

_Marcus, his mother’s new boyfriend, was built like a small house and had never liked Harley. Naturally, the boy didn’t want to risk getting beat up for the second time in one week - his bullies had caught him a few days prior, too. He had excused the wounds as him being clumsy._

_Sobbing violently, he packed the little things he had and could take with him and loaded them into his car. The same one his mentor and idol had left him all those years ago. It was his most prized possession and probably his new home for a while._

_His mother hadn’t even shed a tear. Neither did she allow his broken son to see his sister one last time. He didn’t even get to say goodbye, before being forced to drive off to hell._

“Shit that’s horrible”, Peter whispered, face struck with horror and then realisation. “Wait. You said she kicked you out a month and a half ago, but I know that you’ve only been here for half a month. Where did you go?”

Harley shifted uncomfortably, seemingly avoiding Peter’s worried eyes.

“Nowhere, really”, he muttered. “I lived in my car and earned my food by helping out in the local mechanics shop, until he, too, heard of me being gay and told me he can’t give me work any longer. After that I left Rose Hill.”

“And came to New York?”

“Not really. I left the town about one and a half week after being kicked out. I never even intended to come here, but then Tony called one night. We call each other like at least once every two weeks. It had been rough, I was exhausted and life wasn’t good, so I kind of forgot to call him and he was worried. I tried hiding it all from him, but he noticed anyways and I spilled that I’m searching for a place to stay, because life at home had gone to shit. So he offered I’d stay here in New York with him and he could be my legal guardian. Well I’m not an idiot, so of course I agreed. I forged my mother’s signature on the contract that Tony send me and drove to New York. Tony wanted to sent me a private jet but I refused, because then I either would’ve had to go back to Rose Hill or tell him that I haven’t been there in three weeks and lived on the streets instead. Both were not on an option so I convinced him to let me drive over. And then I came here. He asked me what happened, I told him I didn’t want to talk about it just yet. He hasn’t brought it up since and neither did I. It sounds stupid but this is all I have left. Tony, the tower. I’m still scared that his reaction will be the same as my mother’s or that he’ll be angry I lied to him or because I forged my mother’s signature on a legal document or that he’ll be different towards me from then on. So I just never told him. And when he started telling me about you on the phone... I was scared you’ll take my place and that I’d be on my own again. That’s how it always was. Someone took my place and then I had to just make it work somehow. I know now that it wasn’t fair to you at all, you’ve done nothing like that. But fears are fears, you know?”

After rambling like that, Harley had to take a deep breath. Revisiting and admitting that all of what happened was in fact real, did get the better of him. This shit was hard. How do people usually handle feelings?

“I.. Harley I don’t know what to say”, Peter mumbled. Harley cringed at the horror in his voice. He never wanted anyone to worry about him. Especially not Peter, who he knew for a fact had it even worse than him.

“You don’t have to say anything. I hope that just clears up _why_ I can’t tell Tony about us just yet. Please.”

“Of course! Of course”, the boy assured him and then Harley found himself tugged close to his chest in a warm embrace and it was enough to break down his walls completely. The first tear went unnoticed by both, but soon Harley lay there full-on sobbing his heart out in a way it hadn’t been since the night his mother kicked him out. He felt pathetic, but couldn’t help it. In a single night Peter had broken every wall he build around himself. Harley had yet to find out if that was a good thing, but for now, it was all that kept him sane. Finally someone knew and just held him.

What a way to start a relationship. At least Peter didn’t seem to mind.

The boys managed to hide their relationship from everyone in Stark Tower for two whole weeks. So far only May, Ned and MJ new about them, which was a great relief, because it meant that at least in Peter’s apartment did they get to openly act like a couple.

Harley knew that Peter wished they wouldn’t have to hide it. He thought so himself, but nonetheless did his fears get the better of him.

The first one to find out in Stark Tower was Pepper. Harley had stayed in Peter’s room that night and to avoid being caught leaving his room in the morning for breakfast, he slipped out at about 5am to return to his own room. And ran right into Pepper. Shirtless. With hickeys on his chest.

“Oh, Peter, you’re awa- Harley?”, she asked and looked at the boy, who was practically her son, in confusion. “What are you doing at 5am in Pe- oh.”

“Pepper, I can explain”, Harley rushed out, his anxiety taking over and his face flushed red. He was ready to deny everything or beg Pepper to not kick him out, but before he could, Pepper smiled and pulled him into a soft motherly hug.

“Dear, you’re trembling terribly, are you alright?”, she asked when Harley didn’t know how to react.

“I’m gay”, he blurted out instead of answering her question.

“Okay”, she simply answered, holding him a little tighter. “Do you want to tell me about you and Peter? And why you’re so scared?”

Harley could have cried on the spot. This was all he ever wished to hear from his own mother. So he agreed and Pepper guided him into the living room, where they sat down and she listened as Harley poured his heart and soul out. And she held him as he cried again. Assured that it was cruel of his mother and that it would not ever happen again and that he was safe here and his and Peter’s relationship was nothing to hide. But she understood when Harley said he could not yet tell Tony, she agreed on keeping it a secret. Though she did also assure him that Tony would never react badly and if he did, she’d make sure he regretted it.

Harley smiled and hugged her a little tighter, before he texted Peter a simple ‘Pepper knows. It’s alright’.

He hadn’t slept so peacefully on his own since Christmas.

A few others in the tower found out, too. The fact that the avenger’s were not always there, but came and went as they pleased made it hard to hide something sometimes.

Harley had not expected Natasha Romanov and Bucky Barnes to walk into the kitchen at 2am, while he and Peter had been quite occupied with the other.

Neither did they expect Sam and Rhodey to land on the goddamn roof, when they tried to have a secret romantic date night under the sky.

Or Clint to enter the living room, when they had a movie night, although they thought the floor was clear that night. It was just their luck.

At this rate, Harley thought, he wouldn’t be surprised to see one of the avengers walk into Peter’s apartment and catch them there. It also made him very very anxious that so many people in the tower knew, who could potentially tell Tony. Even though they all promised they wouldn’t, Tony had started to notice that something was up and it was only a matter of time until someone accidentally let it slip. Harley knew in order to prevent Tony from finding out accidentally, he had to tell him himself, soon. He was still scared endlessly, but the positive reactions they received from everyone else gave him courage.

“I’m going to tell him”, Harley announced one day at the breakfast table with Peter and Pepper. “Tony, I mean. All of it.”

Both looked at him surprised.

“Are you sure, Harley? You know that you don’t have to, right?”, Peter asked a little worried and Harley loved him for it. So he smiled in response.

“I know. But I don’t want to hide this anymore, he deserves to know. And I think I’m ready.”

“Do you want us to be there? I can take some time out of my day whenever you want, dear”, Pepper offered.

“No, thank you, I’d rather tell him on my own. If that’s fine with you, Peter? I don’t want to tell him about us if you’re not fine with it.”

“No, of course, I’ve got nothin against it! I’m proud of you”, Peter said and the smile almost made Harley tear up. Instead he just took his hand in his and smiled back.

“Thank you”, he replied happily. “I think I’ll do it Saturday, he promised not to work that day so it seems fit. Wanna join him in the lab later, though?”

“‘Course.”

Working in the lab was different now, since Peter and he started dating. They weren’t fighting as much, almost not at all, but they weren’t speaking to each other either, as both feared to accidentally let a term of endearment slip.

Tony should’ve been thanking the gods for this, that they finally shut up and weren’t at each other’s throat every two minutes anymore, but he wasn’t. He appeared increasingly irritated by the lack of conversation and almost frustrated enough to plead them to start fighting again, because then at least there wasn’t deafening _silence_.

So that afternoon, when Peter shortly excused himself to go to the bathroom or kitchen or wherever - Harley hadn’t really noticed, he’d been to occupied with his project in front of him - Tony took his chance.

“Harley”, he called sternly, which immediately made the boy jump in surprise.

“Did I do something?”, he asked confused, because that was the angry confused disappointed voice and Harley was sure this time he really didn’t do anything.

“Yes and no. I wanna now what’s up, boy. I thought I’d thank the gods for the day they made you boys shut up for more than ten minutes, but I have to confess that I hate this. You won’t engage in any conversation, you don’t even make fun of me anymore! Do you and Peter hate each other really so much?”, Tony replied, arms crossed and a look of absolute frustration on his face that made Harley feel sorry.

“I thought you didn’t want to see us fight anymore?”

“Of course not, but now it seems that you haven’t tried to solve your problems with each other, but decided to ignore them and stop talking altogether. And I don’t like that. At least tell me, so I can figure something out.”

The sincere twinkle in his mentor’s eyes loosened something in Harley and before he even recognised his own voice, the statement was out in the open of the lab.

“I’m gay.” It was supposed to happen on Saturday, damn it!

The response was overwhelming. Because there was none. Tony just stared hat him incredulously.

“Figured”, he stated.

“What?”

“Oh come on, Harley. I’m a genius and we’re connected, remember? You think I haven’t noticed how you’ve been avoiding my questions about your crushes every time we called? Or how you then proceeded to mention a boy’s name on sixteen different occasions in one call? I kind of knew since you were about 14 I think.” Tony raised his eyebrows at him, but held an affectionate smile and it was all so much that it took every inch of willpower Harley possessed to not cry on the spot.

“Good, now that that’s cleared - what has that to do with Pe-“, Tony stopped mid-sentence as the realisation hit him. That was also the moment Peter had chosen to re-enter the lab.

“Why’s Tony looking so shocked?”, he asked, oblivious to his teary eyed boyfriend, holding a cup of coffee. Tony stared at him, then back at Harley.

“Oh god. You fucked, haven’t you?” Peter choked on his coffee.

“Oh god that’s a yes! Peter’s a terrible liar, that’s a yes! Oh my god Harley you fucked my intern.” The old man put his hand on his forehead, as if checking if he had a fever, while Harley and Peter just stared at each other, bright red faces, then at Tony again. Harley also felt himself starting to tremble from the stress and fear of having done something wrong.

“Don’t blame it on him, mr. Stark! It was kinda...me”, Peter eventually interfered and Tony looked up with pure horror written all over his face.

“I did not expect that and neither did I want to know about it. No more details. Like none. My poor ears”, he whispered horrified.

“We’re actually dating”, Harley told then, because really, what else was there to lose?

“Oh my _god_ ”, Tony groaned in response. Peter still stood frozen at the entrance.

“Is that... not okay?”, Harley asked. He really tried to suppress the shaking in his voice, but it was barely successful. What if Tony decided that Peter was too good for him? That he would accept him being gay, but being together with his assistant was too much?

But Tony turned his eyes on him now and there was just irritation.

“What?”, he asked. “No of course it’s _okay_ , it’s just weird! I thought you guys were planning to murder each other, but now you’re doing literally the opposite and I am... confused. I am but an elderly man that feels undeserving of the title ‘genius’ because - wait, why would you think it wouldn’t be okay, Harley?”

Harley’s brain malfunctioned. There were no words, his throat was dry and he felt like dying, because this was the moment he had to start telling the truth and the whole truth, not some carded version of it.

“Because”, he started, avoiding his eyes and instead looking down at his trembling hands. “My mother wasn’t.”

Now Tony stopped, too. The whole world seemed to slow down as his mentor stared at him, jaw falling open.

“Is that what happened at home?”, he asked carefully, taking just one step closer, as if to not frighten the suddenly so small boy. Harley couldn’t help but feel choked up as he gave a small nod.

“I’ve got some things to tell you, Tony. I should’ve done quite a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t”, he added, tears now running down his cheeks and it took Tony but two seconds to draw the boy into a warm embrace. And Harley started crying. Neither even heard Peter quietly leave, saying he’s coming back when they had their private moment.

So Harley told Tony everything, from the start. And cried a little more. Tony just listened as carefully as he could and hugged him as tight as humanely possible, while he thanked the stars that Peter and Harley found each other. God knows how badly they needed the other. And maybe Tony cried a little, too, for the boy that was almost his son. For everything that happened to him and he was so thankful that Harley told him eventually.

Peter came back about one and a half hours later. Both had stopped crying by then and were just quietly talking, about Harley and Peter’s relationship, Peter realised soon enough. And it felt good to sit down next to his boyfriend and take his hand encouragingly without shame. Tony’s fond smile just made it even better.

So yeah. Harley did not hate Peter Parker. And he didn’t just desire him. He loved him. With his whole heart.

Bonus:  
“I still can’t believe I haven’t noticed. You’ve been working on the Spiderman tech for Peter in such harmony, I should’ve known you guys were closer.”

“Mr Stark oh my god I didn’t tell him-“

“Excuse me, Spider-Man’s tech for who?!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> If you liked it, please consider leaving kudos or a comment! If you want you can check out my other fics, too!
> 
> Stay safe & healthy!
> 
> \- Saturning (saturningandturning on tumblr)


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